Kyle Lowry scored 26 points and added 10 assists as the Toronto Raptors stretched their winning streak to a franchise-record 10 games with a 103-93 win over the New York Knicks on Thursday.
The Raptors’ previous best winning streak was nine games in 2002.
The Raptors led by 10 points entering the fourth quarter and by as many as 14 points in the second. The Knicks rallied to within seven points in the fourth before the Raptors stretched the lead to 11 points on a three-pointer by Lowry with 1 minute, 45 seconds remaining.
Photo: Dan Hamilton - USA TODAY
Lowry scored 10 points in the fourth quarter in front of a crowd of 19,800 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
Guard DeMar DeRozan, who was named to the East All-Star team earlier on Thursday, had 26 points for the Raptors.
Center Jonas Valanciunas added 11 points and had a season-best 18 rebounds, and forward Patrick Patterson added 10 points. Reserve guard Cory Joseph chipped in 11 points.
Asked if this was the best Raptor team DeRozan has been a part of, he said: “Yeah. By far, by far and we’ve still got a long way to go.”
Guard Arron Afflalo scored 20 points for the Knicks, who have lost four straight.
Sasha Vujacic and Jerian Grant added 13 points each for New York and guard Langston Galloway had 12.
Pelicans 114, Kings 105
Jrue Holiday came off the bench to score 25 points and Ryan Anderson tallied 30 points in the first half en route to 36 to power the Pelicans past the Sacramento Kings at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
Anderson’s 30 first-half points were the most scored by any NBA player this season in the first half, and also set a Pelicans franchise record for first-half scoring.
DeMarcus Cousins finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Ben McLemore matched him with 26 points for the Kings.
Pacers 111, Hawks 92
In Indianapolis, Monta Ellis scored 25 points and rookie Myles Turner added 20 in his first career start to lead the Indiana Pacers over Atlanta 111-92 at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
George Hill added 18 and Paul George had 11 for the Pacers, despite making only two of 11 field goal attempts.
Jeff Teague had 20 for the Hawks and Al Horford added 14.
“That probably was the most nervous I have been all season,” Turner said of his first start. “My role is to bring energy, and that is what I did tonight. We were tired of losing. We needed a win tonight.”
Grizzlies 103, Bucks 83
In Memphis, Tennessee, the Grizzlies cruised to a 103-83 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks behind a team-high 21-point performance by reserve forward Jeff Green.
Memphis has won eight of its last 10 games and is seven games above .500 for the first time this season. The Grizzlies won their fifth straight at home and are 18-7 at home for the season.
Backup point guard Mario Chalmers had a team-high 10 assists to go with seven points. Point guard Mike Conley dished out nine assists with five points.
Nuggets 117, Wizards 113
In Washington, Danilo Gallinari scored 26 points as Denver topped the Wizards 117-113.
Emmanuel Mudiay had 20 points and Nikola Jokic finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets, who had lost two straight and four of six.
Garrett Temple led the Wizards with 20 points. John Wall and Bradley Beal each scored 17 points.
Bulls 114, Lakers 91
Guard Jimmy Butler scored 26 points and dished out 10 assists, and center Pau Gasol had 21 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, leading the Chicago Bulls to a 114-91 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center.
Butler, who also recorded four steals and collected five rebounds, connected on 11-of-17 shots for the Bulls, winners of two of their past three. Gasol, a former Laker, hit nine of 17 shots.
Chicago point guard Derrick Rose contributed 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while forward Doug McDermott added 15 points.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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